Hydroaeroplane



M. STUPAR.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. m9.

1,358,596, Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

8 SHEETSSHEET I- wmntoz Max S tupar M. STUPAR.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25,1919.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

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M. STUPAR.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, I919.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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M. STUPAR.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. I919.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

8 SHEETSSHEET 4.

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HYDROAEROPLANE.

APPLICATION man JUNE 25.1919.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

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M. STUPAH.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, ms.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

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Max ptupar M. STUPAR.

HYDBOAEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZS, 1919.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

FIG. 1 7

FIG. 16.

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FIG, 21.

M. STUPAR.

HYDROAEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUHEZS, r919.

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Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

MAX STUIE'AB, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 ABRAHAM -l'. ELIAS, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

HYIDBOAEROPL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. Q, 1920.

To all whom it may ooncem Be it known that 1, MAX Sruran, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydroaeroplanes. of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates generally to heavier than air flying machines and more particularly to hydroaeroplanes, my object, among others, being the provision of a highly eiiicient structure as regards both its performance in the air and upon the water.

Another object is the provision of a novel eflicient launching arrangement and particularly one by means of which efiective launching may be accomplished from ship hoard, while either stationary or in motion, and including means by which the operator may control the release of the machine from the operators seat.

A still further object is the provision of a machine including certain structures permitting the parts in knocked down condition to occupy minimum packing space and susceptible of ready quick erection.

A still further object is the provision of an arrangement wherein the air directional rudder is fully protected on the water by means which will assist in its movement on the water.

Other objects relating-more particularly to the details of construction, will plainly appear in the course of the following description, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. and wherein,

Figure 1, is a top plan view. one side only of the wing structure appearing.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation.

Fig. 3, is a front elevation. v

Fig. 4. is an enlarged crosssection through the fuselage showing the hoisting arrangements.

Fig. 5, is a longitudinal section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6, is a rear elevation of the tail structure.

Fig. 7. is an enlarged side view of a portion of the tail structure.

Fig. 8, is an enlarged sectional side view of the rudder hrace.

Fig. 9, is a detail longitudinal section through a portion of the fuselage adjacent to the cable release hook.

F g. 10, 1S a vertical cross section taken on l ne l0-10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11, is a sectional side elevation of a portion of one of the upper wings adjacent to its aileron supporting extension.

Fig. 12, 1s a front elevation of one of the lower strut connections.

Fig. 13, is a sectional side view of one of the upper strut tastenings.

F g. 14- is a front view thereof.

Fig. 15 is a sectional side view of one of the lower strut connections.

F1g. 16 is a vertical cross section through a portion of the fuselage showing one otthe combined lower wings and pontoon tasteners or connections.

Fig. 17 is a front elevation of one of these combined fasteners rennved.

Fig. 18 is a horizontal'section taken on line 18-18 of Fig. 16. I

F 1g. 19 is a horizontal section through one end of one ot the wing beams of the engine wing section.

F g. 20 is a top plan of one .of the cornpanion connecting members of the wings.

Fig. 21 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 19. i

Fig. 22 is a side viewof the parts shown in Fig. 20.

Fig. 23 is a side elevation illustrating the launching device.

Fig. 24 is a detail side view of the launching skid.

Fig. 25 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 26 is a vertical cross section taken on line 26-26'0f Fig. 23.

Fig. 27 is a detail section showing one of the stabilizer connections.

Fig. 28 is a side view of the tail post and adjacent parts, and

Fig. 29 is a rear view of the stabilizer, removed.

Referring now to these figures. and particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3. the fuselage 28 of mv m roved hydroaeroplane bears substantially the same relation to the planes or wing structure as usual and this is also true of its pontoons 29, alhough in the present construction of the two planes 30 and 31, the lower plane 30 includes side wings 32, the inner ends of which have vertically disposed connection irons 33 like that shown in Fig. 22. bote'l through the w ng beams b'v bol's 34. These irons. it will he noted from Fig. 22 have vertically spaced tubular portions 35 for straddling the vertically disposed tubular portion 36 of a fuselage carried bracket 37 shown 'in Figs. 16, 17 and 18, so as to adapt these tubular portions, when alined, to receive a vertical pin bolt 38 (see Fig. 22) which thus rigidly connects the outstanding single-piece wings 32 of the lower plane in position.

The upper plane 31, on the other hand includes arigid central section 39 which I term the engine section, outstanding wings 40, substantially like the lower plane wings, and wing extensions 41, which latter project materially beyond the ends of the lower plane as seen by reference to Fig. 3. The engine section 39 of the upper plane is rigidly connected to the fuselage 10 in non-detachable relation and the opposite ends of its beams 42, one of which is seen in Fig. 22 have tubular vertical connecting irons, 43 which cooperates with ironscarried by the inner ends of the wings 40. These latter irons are duplicates of the irons 33 of the loweiwwin gs shown in Figs. 20 and 22. The wing extensions 41 of the upper plane, 31 are connected to the outer ends of the wings, 40 in a slightly different manner however, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. As shown in these figures, the beams 44 ofthe upper wings have an end plate 45, bolted through by bolts 46 which also serve to connect eye straps 47 to the lower surfaces of the beams. These end plates have centrally located sockets and the alining beams 48 of the wing extension 41 have end plates 49 at their inner ends, bolted therethrough by bolts 50 and having hooks 51 for engagement within the eyes of the straps 47 and studs 52 for engagement in the sockets of end :plates 45- after the hooks '51 have been properly engaged and the wing extensions elevated to horizontal aline'ment with the wings.

As seen in Fig. 3, the wing extensions 41 are supported in their above described conmotions with the wings, by means of inclined struts 53 whose upper ends engage the wing extensions intermediate the ends of the latter and whose lower ends engage the lower wings 32 adjacent to the outer ends of the latter. These inclined struts are, furthermore braced by braces '54 extending inwardly and upwardly from a central point of each strut to the outer ends of the upper wings 40.

The struts 53, like the struts 55 between the upper and lower wings 40 and '32, certa1n of which are seen in Figs. 12 to 15 inelusive, have axial sockets 56 and transverse pins 57 across these sockets. The sockets '56 receive rigid forks 58 depending from the upper wings 40, which straddle the pins 57 asclearly seen in Figs. 11, 13 and 14. The lower ends of the several struts have transverse openings 59 and are slightly beveied tozri-de :Qnto zstrut locking plates '60 selessees cured to thelower wings 32 by bolts 61 as seen in Figs. 12, and 15. These locking plates 60 are slightly inclined as shown,

and have spaced upstanding cars 62 between which the lower ends of the struts are p0- sitioned, and the ears are apertured to receive locking pins 63, the latter being also extended through the lower strut openings 59 so as to thus lock the struts in place. These pins 63 are preferably held against accidental displacement by cotter pins and the like passed therethrough in the usual manner.

The locking plates 60, as well as the forks 58, beam end plates 45 and 49 and eye straps 47 preferably have guy ears 64 apertured to receive the guys 65, the latter of which remain between and in connection with the guy ears when the wings are removed, so

that in thereafter assembling the machine it is simply necessary to properly place the struts in position by first engaging the upper ends with the forks and then rocking the lower ends into proper position in con nection with the locking plates.

The above is true of the struts and extending between the upper and lower wings and between the lower wings and the wing extensions of the upper plane, while the struts between the pontoons 29 and the fuselage 28 are differently arranged, including as they do forward single piece struts 66 and rear V-shaped struts 67. These pontoon struts are seated at their lower ends in inclined socket irons 68 on the pontoons and the upper ends of the struts 66 are connected to the forward side portions of the fuselage '28 by connections at 69 (see Fig. 2) similar to the connections between the engine section 39 and wings 40 of the upper plane and as previously described by reference to Figs. 22 and 23. For the purpose of the ll-shaped rear struts, however, each fuseia-ge bracket 37 has a depending portion 70 as seen in Figs. 17 and 18 provided with horizontal spaced tubular sections 71 beneath the side edges of the fuselage, to receive members 72 carried by the upper ends of the struts and provide :for the use 'of a locking pin, respectively similar to the parts 43 and 38 of l i gs. 21 and 222. It will be noted from Fig. 16 in :particularthat each bracket 37 is secured at its upper portion by bolts 75 passing horizontally through portions of the fuselage 28 and bolts 73 passing vertically through its lower extension 70 and through other portions of the fuselage, so as to rigidly support the bracket in view of its connection of both they-lower wings and the pontoon struts.

By reference to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the rear portion of each of the wing extensions 41 is cut away and has hinged thereto an aileron 74, these ailerons being rigidly braced and being controlled from the fuselage through the controlling connections passing through the upper wings 40 and wing extensions 41.

Figs. 1 and 2 and the detail views, Figs. 6, T and 8 show the tail structure, of which the stabilizer 76 supports the elevators 77 and as shown in Fig. 27 has at each side of its forward portion, a depending aperturecl leaf 78 which is hinged to the stabilizer. To receive these leaves 78 the fuselage has at its opposite sides laterally projecting studs 79 adapted to extend through the leaf apertures and each leaf may thus be removably locked by cotterpins and the like through the studs 79, and in this way support the forward portion of the stabilizer in connec tion with the fuselage. The rear end of the stabilizer has at a central point a rearwardly projecting rigid stud 80 which, in attaching the stabilizer in place, is extended through the upwardly projecting apertured extension 81 of the tail post fitting 82 of the fuselage, as seen in 29'. From this latter figure and Fig. 28, it will also be noted that the tail post fitting 82 has at its lower side portions apertured gears in which the lower ends of the stabilizer braces 84 are detachably secured by locking pins like the formerly described locking connections. These braces are hingedly connected to the lower surface of the stabilizer adjacent to its outer rear ends, as seen in F ig. 6.

The vertical air directional rudder 85 is detachably hinged to the tail post fitting 82, by means of the rudder post 86, which is provided with :1 depending tube 87 extending downwardly through a tail float 88 which I provide at the lower end of the air directional rudder 85 for purposes of greater stability when afloat. This tail float 88 preferably has a vertical fin S9 at its rear forming a water rudder. and has horizontalfins 90 at its opposite side forming water planes to give greater steerage way.

The tube 8'? depends through the float 88 as above stated, and is vertically adjustably connected by a cross pin 91 within a socket fitting 92 upon the upper surface of the rear end of the rudder brace 93 in the nature of a tail skid, whose forward upper end is hingedly connected at 94 to the lower surface of the fuselage 28 and whose rear end extends beneath and protects the tail float 88 and its fins when on land. This rear lower end of the rudder brace 93 is yieldingly supported in spaced relation to the float 88 by means of a spring 95 coiled, as seen in Fig. 8, around the tube 87 and compressed between the float 88 and the socket fitting 92 of the skid or brace.

Hydroaeroplanes are commonly launched from shipboard, but. as will be presently seen, my invention provides a novel launching apparatus which has manvadvantages n simplicity, adaptability and convenience over those now used. This launching device is shown in Figs. 23 to 26 inclusive and consists of a roller mounted runway 96 preferably made in sections which may be bolted together to form a runway of suitable length, adaptable to the available deck space one end of which terminates at or adjacent to the outboard of the vessel. Each section of this runway 96 comprises parallel beams 97 at each side, rigidly connected and braced, and supporting bearings 98 for the shafts 99 of annularly grooved wheels 100. The grooves 101 of these wheels, as clearly seen in Fig. 26, receive the spaced lower T- rails 102 of the lower side beams 103 of a skid or cradle 104, the said side beams of which are spaced apart and rigidly connected by cross beams 105. Above the beams 103, the skid or cradle has lengthwise ribs 106 forming pontoon seats and which are shaped to fit the longitudinal curvature of the pontoons as seen in Fig. 24. The ma chine thus rests on the skid or cradle and is. preferably held against movement on the runway by means of an anchor line 107 (see Fig. 23) extending from some suitable stationary part of the vessel. This anchor line leads to a treadle controlled hook 108 fulcrumed at 109 in a bracket 110 in the lower portion of the fuselage 28 as seen in Figs. 9 and 10 and located adjacent to the pilots seat so that the pilot can directly control, from his seat, the release of the machine after the propeller is in motion and has attained the desired starting momentum. This hook has an upstanding lug 111 normally engaged by a treadle 112 pivoted in the bracket 110, pressure upon the foot piece 113 of which, permits the hook 108 to swing upwardly and release the an clior line 107, so that the machine and its cradle or skid 104 are free to move on the runway and from the vessel into the air. Both the machine and its cradle or skid leave the outer end of the runway 96, the machine launching into the air and the cradle or skid dropping into the water. Immediately upon its entrance into the water, the cradle or skid turns in one direction away from'the vessel by virtue of stationary inclined rudders 114 as the rear ends of the longitudinal beams 103, as seen in Fig. 26 so as to avoid injurious contact with the vessel, particularly when the latter is in movement. The cradle or skid 104 is then drawn in and again raised to the deck by means of a line shown attached to a ring 115 in the rear cross beam 105 of the cradle or skid.

Provision is similarly made for effective, convenient hoisting of the machine itself from the water, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, cables 116 being extended upwardly from anchor brackets 117 at the lower inner portions of the fuselage 28 at or. about its center of gravity. 'lhese cables project vertically through braces 118 disposed around and protecting a fuel tank 119, and also through deck openings 120 above which they are joined by a ring 121 to a vertical hoisting connection 122, which extends upwardly through an opening 123 in the engine section 39 of the upper plane and has a ring 124 for engagement by a hoisting line. hook (not shown). This connection 122 is normally prevented from falling through, by

' means of its cross arm 125 which bridges the plane opening 123.

It is obviousfroin the foregoing that my invention provides an apparatusi-learly capable of effectively and efiicientlv carrving out the objects first above stated as well as one which will be strong. durable and stable in use.

I claim:

l. Avfiying machine having upper and lower planes, each including detachable wings, the upper plane also including wing extensions, and hook and eye fasteners for detachably connecting said wing extensions with the wings, said wings and said extensions having relatively engaging means to prevent movement on said fasteners in the o erative position.

2. A flying machine having upper and lower planes, each including detachable wings, the upper plane also including wing extensions, and means for detachably con necting said wing extensions with the wings, said means including relatively engaging elements carried by the WlIL S and wing extensions to lock the parts against laterally shifting movement, and relatively engaging fastening elements preventing lengthwise shifting movement of the parts and on which the wing extensions may be rocked vertically to cause engagement of the first-named elements, and bracing members to hold said elements in engaged relation.

3. The structure claimed in claim 2, the bracing members being in the nature of in clined struts connected at their outer ends to the outer portions of the wing extensions and at their inner ends to the ends of the lower plane.

4:. A flying machine having planes, each including separate wings the upper plane of which has extensions at the ends of its wings, the said wings of the upper plane having end socket and eye straps at their outer ends, and said extensions having hooks to engage the eye straps and studs to extend into the sockets, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MAX STUPAR. 

